Apple crumb pie is an impressive dessert that brings together the best of both worlds – apple pie and apple crumble.
A sweet and tender apple filling plus a crunchy and buttery crumble topping create an unforgettable dessert experience.
No matter if you are a seasoned baker or a beginner, this recipe is sure to become a favorite in your kitchen.
You Should Make This Apple Crumb Pie Because…
- It’s a delightful twist on a traditional apple pie recipe.
- It has the perfect balance of flavors and textures with juicy, spiced apples plus a buttery crumble topping.
- Apple crumble pie is a dessert that is comforting yet indulgent.
- The versatile pie can be enjoyed year-round, at family gatherings, holidays like Thanksgiving, or simply as a sweet treat to enjoy with a cup of coffee.
Ingredients
Apple Filling: The filling is made up of apples, sugar, flour and cinnamon.
- Macintosh apples are a popular choice for baking because of their sweet-tart flavor and soft texture when cooked. They break down easily, for a perfectly soft filling.
- White sugar adds sweetness and will help draw the juices from the apples, while flour helps thicken the filling.
- Cinnamon adds a comforting and delicious warmth to the filling
Crumble Topping: Only a few simple ingredients are needed for the topping.
- Flour provides structure to the crumble topping, while rolled oats gives the crumble a hearty texture.
- Cold butter is best, however marjarine can be used in a pinch.
- Brown Sugar provides just the right amount of sweetness and a slight caramel flavor while cinnamon provides just the right amount of spice to complement the apple filling.
Variations
Experiment with other types of apple varieties like Granny Smith for a tart flavor or Honeycrisp for a more sweet taste.
Add a pinch of nutmeg, allspice, and cloves to the apple filling. Or use a homemade apple pie spice for an even more complex flavor.
Incorporate chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans into the crumble topping for added crunch, or mix in some dried cranberries or raisins with the apples for a burst of flavor. Quick cooking rolled oats can be used in the topping, but will create a less chewy texture than regular rolled oats. Try using steel cut oats for a crunchier texture, but note it will require a longer time to bake.
Use a gluten-free crust, flour blend and gluten-free oats in the crumble topping to accommodate dietary restrictions. Experiment with vegan butter for a dairy free option.
Serve it all by itself, or top it with a luscious caramel sauce for an even more decadent treat. A scoop of vanilla ice cream is always a great addition to apple crumble pie.
How To Make Apple Crumb Pie
- Mix flour, oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in cold butter until crumbly; set aside.
- Peel, core, and slice apples. Toss with sugar, flour, and cinnamon.
- Fold apples into pie shell, then sprinkle crumble mixture over apples.
- Place pie on a cookie sheet and tent with foil.
- Bake (as directed in the recipe below)
Helpful Hints For The Best Apple Crumb Pie
- Use very cold butter for the crumble topping. This helps create a perfectly crumbly texture.
- Slice the apples evenly to ensure they cook at the same rate.
- Lightly tent the pie with foil during baking to prevent the topping from browning too quickly.
- Check pie to see if it is done 10 minutes before the cook time is up. The pie is ready when the apples are tender when pierced with a fork.
Storing Apple Crumb Pie
Store apple crumble pie covered at room temperature for up to two days. You can also choose to refrigerate it for up to five days. Cover loosely with foil or plastic wrap.
This pie freezes well. Cover with plastic wrap, then in a zippered bag if you can and freeze for up to three months.
To reheat, bake from frozen at 400°F for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 45 minutes, until heated through and the apples are soft.
More Delish Apple Recipes
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Apple Crumb Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 9 inch pie crust store bought or homemade
Apple Pie Filling
- 5 large Apples Macintosh
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
Crumble Topping
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup old fashioned oats (rolled oats)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Mix together flour, rolled oats, brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Cut cold butter in using a pastry blender, two knives or just your fingers. The mixture should be completely mixed and crumbly. Set aside.
- Peel apples, then core and slice into a large bowl. Sprinkle sugar, flour and cinnamon over the apples and gently toss to combine. Gently fold apple filling into prepared pie shell.
- Pour the crumble mixture over the apples. Place pie pan on a cookie sheet. Lightly tent with foil.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 325°F and bake for another 50-60 minutes or until apples are soft when punctured with a fork.
- Remove foil for the last 20 minutes of bake time. Allow to cool and rest before slicing for best results.
Notes
- Cook and cool pie completely before freezing. Alternately, freeze before baking.
- To bake from frozen, preheat oven to 400°F. Place pie on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and continue baking for an additional 45 minutes or until apples are soft.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information does not include optional ingredients or garnish and is an estimate. It may change based on actual ingredients and cooking methods used.
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